Spirit in Australia: JH's Blog - Charge for Rm Service & Diapered Kids OK in Pools

[megmno]

Just saw an FAQ on John Heald's blog about the Carnival Spirit that had a couple of surprises:

 

Q: Is room service available?

A: 24-hour room service is available. Menu items are individually priced.

 

Q: Can kids with "swim nappies" go in the pools and Carnival Waterworks?

A: They sure can! Kids with swim nappies are allowed in the pools and Carnival Waterworks.

 

Source:

http://johnhealdsblog.com/2012/09/24/mitt-cats-t-shirts-and-bosoms-how-about-that-for-a-blog-title/

(scroll about halfway down)

[MileHighAko]

We just got off the Spirit last week. It's a wonderful ship and the Aussies are lucky to have her. Interesting about room service - must be a condition of the Australian market. I understand they're making some other changes to the dining on the Lido deck (maybe food offerings?) more tailored to that market. We met an Australian couple on our cruise to Alaska and they also said that the pre-paid gratuities are going away, which made me wonder how the crew is compensated down under. Not sure if that's a fact or not though so maybe wrong.

[PAPERBKWRITER]

I'm going to miss Spirit. Glad we still have Miracle.

[pwkmpjm]

We just got off the Spirit last week. It's a wonderful ship and the Aussies are lucky to have her. Interesting about room service - must be a condition of the Australian market. I understand they're making some other changes to the dining on the Lido deck (maybe food offerings?) more tailored to that market. We met an Australian couple on our cruise to Alaska and they also said that the pre-paid gratuities are going away, which made me wonder how the crew is compensated down under. Not sure if that's a fact or not though so maybe wrong.

 

Just to inform you about tips in Australia. It is true that pre paid gratuities will go when the Spirit arrives in Australia. Tipping is not part of our culture as people in Australia are well paid. On the Spirit, gratuities have been included in our fares, the crew will be compensated. Most Aussies will give the staff a tip for a job well done. We are all looking forward to the arrival of Carnival Spirit. I am booked on the maiden voyage from Sydney.

[Royalty X]

The ship will be operated by Carnival Australia and it'll be run like the ships in the P&O Australia fleet apparently - no compulsory tipping, payment for room service items and (after November) no bottles of wine allowed on in hand luggage.

[mikel24m]

Just to inform you about tips in Australia. It is true that pre paid gratuities will go when the Spirit arrives in Australia. Tipping is not part of our culture as people in Australia are well paid. On the Spirit, gratuities have been included in our fares, the crew will be compensated. Most Aussies will give the staff a tip for a job well done. We are all looking forward to the arrival of Carnival Spirit. I am booked on the maiden voyage from Sydney.

 

I cannot wait until this happens on all Carnival ships :)

[MrPete]

Just to inform you about tips in Australia. It is true that pre paid gratuities will go when the Spirit arrives in Australia. Tipping is not part of our culture as people in Australia are well paid. On the Spirit, gratuities have been included in our fares, the crew will be compensated. Most Aussies will give the staff a tip for a job well done. We are all looking forward to the arrival of Carnival Spirit. I am booked on the maiden voyage from Sydney.

 

This is what happens in all countries where tipping is not the norm. The price of goods and services is just higher, as the companies themselves pay the employees, and those goods and services arepriced accordingly.

[golfadj]

I cannot wait until this happens on all Carnival ships :)

 

And to think JH used to make fun of RCCL charging for steaks in DR.

[MrPete]

I cannot wait until this happens on all Carnival ships :)

 

Really? Any increase will include any administrative fees and taxes the company will pad into their coffers. My last visit to a non tip AI had my service charges for a two night stay come to $150. Big difference from $23.

[luddite]

This is what happens in all countries where tipping is not the norm. The price of goods and services is just higher, as the companies themselves pay the employees, and those goods and services arepriced accordingly.

 

Indeed, higher. And not higher by just the amount of the service charge that was in the system but higher enough to cover the added expenses.

[mikel24m]

Really? Any increase will include any administrative fees and taxes the company will pad into their coffers. My last visit to a non tip AI had my service charges for a two night stay come to $150. Big difference from $23.

 

Myself I would rather just pay $200 more and have my tips included like with an AI.I dont know about the different fees and taxes but it seems easy to me raise their salary and increase fares accordingly

[halos]

Q: Can kids with "swim nappies" go in the pools and Carnival Waterworks?

A: They sure can! Kids with swim nappies are allowed in the pools and Carnival Waterworks.

 

Source:

http://johnhealdsblog.com/2012/09/24/mitt-cats-t-shirts-and-bosoms-how-about-that-for-a-blog-title/

(scroll about halfway down)

 

ew.

[luddite]

 

Q: Can kids with "swim nappies" go in the pools and Carnival Waterworks?

 

 

Source:

http://johnhealdsblog.com/2012/09/24/mitt-cats-t-shirts-and-bosoms-how-about-that-for-a-blog-title/

(scroll about halfway down)

 

Indeed, kids who go into the pool in swim nappies will 'go' in the pool.

Wonderful.

[sparks1093]

ew.

 

Took the word right out of my mouth, forget the whole tipping thing (I always try to comform to the local custom anyway).

[MrPete]

Myself I would rather just pay $200 more and have my tips included like with an AI.I dont know about the different fees and taxes but it seems easy to me raise their salary and increase fares accordingly

 

I don't understand that logic at all. You'd rather them take $200 from you than leave $23 on your own. Most of which will go to administration.

 

 

Sure. Makes perfect sense.

[mikel24m]

I don't understand that logic at all. You'd rather them take $200 from you than leave $23 on your own. Most of which will go to administration.

 

 

Sure. Makes perfect sense.

 

OK Pete $161 .Make better sense to you now

 

Explain what would change with administration

 

please explain

[halos]

This is what happens in all countries where tipping is not the norm. The price of goods and services is just higher, as the companies themselves pay the employees, and those goods and services arepriced accordingly.

 

Exactly...my point all along is you pay for your service one way or another. People do not work for free. For some reason however, if some people do not 'see' the gratuity seperate, they feellike they aren't paying it...

Same for the fuel surcharge. Just because it isn't listed seperately does not mean you aren't paying for the high cost of fuel one way or another.

However, people are like ostriches....I don't understand it, but whatever...

[mikel24m]

Exactly...my point all along is you pay for your service one way or another. People do not work for free. For some reason however, if some people do not 'see' the gratuity seperate, they feellike they aren't paying it...

Same for the fuel surcharge. Just because it isn't listed seperately does not mean you aren't paying for the high cost of fuel one way or another.

However, people are like ostriches....I don't understand it, but whatever...

 

I just cant understand how some people just cannot grasp this :)

 

Im still waiting for Petes rundown on fees

[sparks1093]

I just cant understand how some people just cannot grasp this :)

 

Im still waiting for Petes rundown on fees

 

It would cost the cruise lines more with the extra accounting that is needed to be done and that extra cost would be passed on to the passengers. The cruise line would also be obligated to pay the same salary to each crew member regardless of how full the ship is, so some sort of formula would be arrived at to take that into account as well. How much extra all of this would be is of course a matter of conjecture, but in the end we would be paying more than what we pay now.

[halos]

I just cant understand how some people just cannot grasp this :)

 

Maybe they believe in the salary fairy??? :p

[mikel24m]

It would cost the cruise lines more with the extra accounting that is needed to be done and that extra cost would be passed on to the passengers. The cruise line would also be obligated to pay the same salary to each crew member regardless of how full the ship is, so some sort of formula would be arrived at to take that into account as well. How much extra all of this would be is of course a matter of conjecture, but in the end we would be paying more than what we pay now.

 

I understand it may be alittle more labor ,but if they give so much per cabin to the steward and if its not full they make less and if its full they get the full amount.As far as the accounting part ,Im not sure if it would really be that much more work than it already is now. I assume they link my CC with my cabin number and waitstaff/Steward and cut them a check for all their cabins/tables when we leave

 

Wouldnt it be easier for everyone to raise the prices $161 and just pay the staff per person per day just like we do now

[Azza11]

It would cost the cruise lines more with the extra accounting that is needed to be done and that extra cost would be passed on to the passengers. The cruise line would also be obligated to pay the same salary to each crew member regardless of how full the ship is, so some sort of formula would be arrived at to take that into account as well. How much extra all of this would be is of course a matter of conjecture, but in the end we would be paying more than what we pay now.

 

Not sure I agree with this. Currently the cruise line receives and distributes the vast majority of tips anyway. They also pay the employee's whatever the current wage is (however small). They are already doing this work so the numbers might change but not the workload. The point about how full the ship is would be irrelevant as they would be paid a wage and that stays the same regardless of how full the ship is. I am Australian but live in Canada and have adapted to the "tipping" culture but it still baffles me when people believe they will pay more if tips are included to a point that is fair for everyone. If this is done and THEN you got great service at any given point you might choose to tip over and above the "fair price". Making people who choose to utilize a service pay an employee's wages is a little strange to the rest of the world and makes "tipping" not really a tip for service over and above that which one might expect. It defeats the purpose of it when you get bad service and still have to tip because otherwise the employee isn't paid which is ridiculous IMHO. I just beleive in North America we spend a lot of time worrying about are we doing the right thing with tips and if it was included you wouldn't risk offending people but surprise them when you did tip if they did a great job. But hey when in Rome do as the Roman's do so I tip where required.

 

Australians do things differently and they expect that the price is the price period. It includes all taxes and tips and that is what you pay. If you get great service in Australia you should tip but likely about 10% and not for every little thing in the world. Maybe at a good restaurant, don't expect small change back from a cab if it is just a few $. At a bar likely not, tour guides likely not but a small tip if they went above and beyond is appreciated.

[sparks1093]

I understand it may be alittle more labor ,but if they give so much per cabin to the steward and if its not full they make less and if its full they get the full amount.As far as the accounting part ,Im not sure if it would really be that much more work than it already is now. I assume they link my CC with my cabin number and waitstaff/Steward and cut them a check for all their cabins/tables when we leave

 

Wouldnt it be easier for everyone to raise the prices $161 and just pay the staff per person per day just like we do now

 

I am not an accountant, hate numbers, but every time you add any type of middleman you increase the cost of whatever it is. If the cruise lines include the tips in the fare then it becomes corporate income and must be accounted for differently. As I said, I don't know what the overall increase would be, but it would be passed on to us.

 

The cruise lines have chosen this way to compensate their crews because it is the most cost effective and "easiest" method. I am not going to second guess that.

[mikel24m]

Not sure I agree with this. Currently the cruise line receives and distributes the vast majority of tips anyway. They also pay the employee's whatever the current wage is (however small). They are already doing this work so the numbers might change but not the workload. The point about how full the ship is would be irrelevant as they would be paid a wage and that stays the same regardless of how full the ship is. I am Australian but live in Canada and have adapted to the "tipping" culture but it still baffles me when people believe they will pay more if tips are included to a point that is fair for everyone. If this is done and THEN you got great service at any given point you might choose to tip over and above the "fair price". Making people who choose to utilize a service pay an employee's wages is a little strange to the rest of the world and makes "tipping" not really a tip for service over and above that which one might expect. It defeats the purpose of it when you get bad service and still have to tip because otherwise the employee isn't paid which is ridiculous IMHO. I just beleive in North America we spend a lot of time worrying about are we doing the right thing with tips and if it was included you wouldn't risk offending people but surprise them when you did tip if they did a great job. But hey when in Rome do as the Roman's do so I tip where required.

 

Australians do things differently and they expect that the price is the price period. It includes all taxes and tips and that is what you pay. If you get great service in Australia you should tip but likely about 10% and not for every little thing in the world. Maybe at a good restaurant, don't expect small change back from a cab if it is just a few $. At a bar likely not, tour guides likely not but a small tip if they went above and beyond is appreciated.

 

This is what I meant you made it sound better lol :)

[mikel24m]

I am not an accountant, hate numbers, but every time you add any type of middleman you increase the cost of whatever it is. If the cruise lines include the tips in the fare then it becomes corporate income and must be accounted for differently. As I said, I don't know what the overall increase would be, but it would be passed on to us.

 

The cruise lines have chosen this way to compensate their crews because it is the most cost effective and "easiest" method. I am not going to second guess that.

 

Yes but then the corporate income is written off with employee wages

 

Who knows what the real reason is